CARROLLTON — By the end of the day Tuesday, 86 voters made it to the water department, which doubles as municipal headquarters for the city of Carrollton, and they chose sitting alderman Annie Mae Wilson, 72, as mayor.
Wilson will be sworn in when the board of aldermen meet at 7:30 p.m. June 6.
That'll be the day aldermen set the date for another day at the polls. A special election will be called to find someone to fill Wilson's unexpired term on the board.
The final tally for mayor was Wilson, 51 votes, and Jon Neill, 35.
Neill and Mrs. Wilson won berths in the runoff May 16, when a special election was held to fill the unexpired term of longtime mayor Beulah B. Smith, who has moved out of town. Regular terms end the summer of 2001.
The widow of the late Jimmie Wilson, Wilson won her first term as alderman three years ago. For 55 years she was caretaker for the late Irene Billups. Wilson is active in the Methodist church.
City Clerk Linda McGregor described the scene at the water department after voting ceased Tuesday night as friendly. Precinct workers were Laquita Neill, who is candidate Neill’s aunt by marriage, and Joy Bryan. Both retired teachers did the same job May 16, when Wilson led the race 31-30. Coming in third then was A.A. “Tony” Dunn, who had 18 votes.
Campaigning was low key. Issues have included the question of how Carrollton can endure in the 21st century as a picture-postcard 1830s pioneer Mississippi county seat, which many perceive it to be.
This morning, the new mayor-elect was mowing her lawn, but she took time out to make a few comments. “I’ll just pick up where Miss Beulah left off,” she said. “We have a lot of things to do.”
